Student Absences Bothers Our Principals

At the high school where several of my grandchildren attend, the Principal is hell bent on having good attendance amongst the students, even if he has to throw them out of school to do it. Numbers seem to be the goal. 5% absentee rates or less are the goal. But, do you throw out a teenage girl who happened to have two surgeries (tonsillectomy and appendectomy) in one semester? The girl has honor roll grades, even with the time missed during her hospitalizations and recuperative time. Yet, she and her mother were called into the Principal’s office and were told that if she missed three or more days in the remaining semester, she will be thrown out for the rest of this school year! Whaaat? It could be that the administrative staff gets paid bonuses based upon student attendance (and other things). This is pathetic.
Ruin a child’s life so you get your big, fat bonuses? Right!